The Greenville times., 1887-06-18
production was not less than sl.OO


per bushel.
Farmers now sell wheat at 70
cents and still find it a profitable
crop, Notwithstanding land has
risen in value and wages are higher
rather than lower than they were
fifteen years ago, and they can do
this because they have learned
how to make twice as many
bushels per man. The labor ques-
tlon is the great question of the
South to-day. Ithas received less
attention from a purely labor
standpoint than 1t has in any other
highly civilized country or section
of country, and, as result our
average farm laborer produces no
more than he did twenty or thirty
years ago. We sometimes hear
il stated that we have in the South
the best and cheapest labor to be
found in the country, which | be-
lieye is true but we can hardly
commend the management of this
labor SO long as the product per
man remains at its present level.
To get the most work out of a man
1t is essential that the work be
directed by an intelligent brain,
and by expert skill, either the
workman's or some ones else.
1t would seem to me therefore
that we farmers must do what
they have done in other in-
dustries, learn how to produce
more per man. Intelligent skill in
management must play as lmpor.
tant a part in farming as 1t does In
railroading, manufacturing and MI
ming. The main points to consider
are, | believe: / Labor. 2; Pro.
ductive capacity of the soil. 81
Growing such crops and disposing
of them in such way aa to econ.
omize labor, retain and add fer.
tillty to the soil, and at the same
time return profit to the farmer
l have placed labor first because
it is the prime factor in the pro
duction of either raw or lnanufac
tured goods. Careful considers
tion Of the labor question is even
more important in farming and
planting than in manufacturing
because the value of the work
done is influenced so largely by
outside influences, such as tho
rainfall and the temperature.
Again the soil, the plant, and
the animal, are the things that re
quire expert skill and judgment
in treatment to be fully utilized
The present rent and share sys
TEN of cropping where almost thu
entire management Of the land IL
turned over to the laborer i
unique from a business point O
view, and so far as l know con
fined to the Southern planter,
has reduced the crop capacity o
large areas of the cultivated up
lands below the profitable poin
and bankrupted both landlord am
tenant. This plan may have bee
necessary and perhaps still |
In some sections of this State, Il
make the laborer contented an,
thereby retain him, but in no busl
ness except in planting could sucl
a policy be pursued at all withou
ruin to the owner of the property
SO common is the complaint abou
the unreliability of labor and diff
Guilty of controlling it, that we ar
apt to overlook what is perhap
the seat of the trouble; the sys
TEN practiced. If the work
a manufacturing or railway CON
pany is SO managed that 1t fails t
pay, does any sensible person la
the blame on the laborers9
The manager of a business
held responsible for the result OF
tanned, and 1t strikes me that whe1
we get the system and the mar
ager right in our farming opers
tions, the labor will adjust itsel
and be right also.
The labor trouble with the plar
ters on the uplands, has bee
brought about largely by tryin
to grow a crop that could not b
made profitable under the bes
possible management of the syi
TEN practiced. Either the lant
, lord or tenant, or both, have rece
we'd no compensation. The labol
er is dissatisfied; he cannot b
walked up to anything like his fu
! capacity, and he is seeking ne
fields. AT present You are gettin
the benetit.of this movement as
gives you plenty of labor; but
will not be long before you wi
! have the same difficulty to conten
with If you pursue the same polio
: that has been so thoroughly den
, onstrated to be impracticable. w
! must get more work out OF th
farm laborer than We now secure
} but the reform movement mui
, start at the head, instead of at th
foot of the industry.
} Intimately associated with th
i, labor question is the prodnctiy
capacity of the soil.
{ At present the question of el
) riching the soil is perhaps not col
| sidered important by the large
+ half of the planters in the bottom
{ Notwithstanding considerabl
0 portion of these lands are not pr
Q ducing as large crops as they hay
| formerly made. The conservatio
1 of fertility, the retention of til
q wonderful productive capacity
these lands, is, however, a que
/ tion of prime Importance to IL
/ owners of every acre OF land
n this Delta.
j. Throughout the country, I'll
Q valuation of farm lands is adjus
4 ing itself to conform to the pr